Atlanta Falcons: Birds Edge Past Redskins to 5-0
5-0 for First Time in Franchise History
Huge Hit by Spoon (Evan Vucci)
The Atlanta Falcons weren’t pretty, but they got the job done yet again on the road, coming from behind, and finding a way to win. The offense looked out of sync for almost the entire game, the defense had major problems with the run and even gave up a first career touchdown pass to a brand new rookie in Kirk Cousins, but nonetheless, the Falcons found a way to win the game and got it done when it really counted. And by the way, the Atlanta Falcons are 5-0 for the first time in franchise history and they have plenty areas for improvement. They may have “sucked” as Roddy White jokingly said after the game, but they’re also undefeated. A look at the Birds road win in DC………
An Ugly Win Always Beats a Pretty Loss
It marks the second week the Falcons have looked less than stellar and had to make a comeback in the 4th quarter to win the game, but an ugly win beats a pretty loss, or as some call them “moral victories,” every day of the week. The offense slogged around the first half, throwing a pick-six in the process, and the defense got gashed by the run and torched by a brand new rookie QB, but the Falcons buckled down when they had to. Matt Ryan led the offense to score 17 points in the 4th quarter and the defense came back from their awful blown coverage TD to Cousins to steal two interceptions in a row to close out the game. If they Falcons continue their overall subpar performances, than it’ll be a cause for concern, but for now their finding ways to win, and they’re only one of two teams that are undefeated, by the way.
Run Defense a Concern
The Ageless Wonder (Susan Walsh)
Cam Newton almost racks up 100 yards himself and 6th round draft pick rookie steams to 114 rushing on Sunday. The Birds are doing a great job in the pass game and takeways, but are showing some weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the run game. The Falcons are currently ranked 27th against the run and will face plenty of strong running teams as the season goes along. In particular, the defensive tackles and middle linebacker play seem to be giving up large amounts of yards. Jerry, Babineaux, and Walker are excellent getting penetration against the pass, but seem to be wearing some vs. the run. Akeem Dent is having major issues at middle linebacker (more below) and that’s putting more and more pressure on the outside linebackers, safeties, and cornerbacks. It should be said that the Falcons are 7th against the pass, but they need to stiffen up against the run a little bit.
Gonzo the Great
Did someone say Tony Gonzalez is supposedly retiring this year? It appears that the 36 year old is on track for one of his best seasons yet. Gonzo hauled in 123 yards with a touchdown and is tied for 3rd overall with 4 touchdowns (among all wide receivers) and 15th in yards including all wide receivers (1st among tight ends). He is surely benefitting from teams trying their best to keep both Julio Jones and Roddy White in check and Koetter is happy to oblige him with the targets. Many teams have talented receiving corps, but few have the additional talent at tight end to occupy the middle with authority the way Gonzalez does. No one is surprised at what he does anymore and he’s playing like he just came into the league. Looking forward, the Falcons and their fans are starting to realize how big the hole will be at TE when he leaves.
Enough with the “Offensive Linemen as Tight End” Mess
Fans and the Bird Cage faithful were ready to toss anything they could get their hands on at the TV seeing Joe Hawley, Mike Johnson, and Garrett Reynolds go out for passes, line up as a 3rd tight end, or doing anything other than blocking on the line (Reynolds illegal man downfield was an accident, but still). What in the Hades is going on here? Some thought the first pass to Joe Hawley (he’s a center remember?) was just an accident, but when it happened again, it bordered somewhere in between being nauseous and bewilderment. Seeing Hawley trying to catch the ball was akin to seeing him in a tutu on a highwire.
JJ Back in the Groove (Susan Walsh)
The Falcons are struggling at fullback in losing Bradie Ewing in the first preseason game and not having Lousaka Polite active this week, but having Hawley or others go out for passes with all the talent available is just criminal. Mike Johnson has been playing a lot of 3rd tight end roles lately which brings up another point: if Tyson Clabo is needing that much extra help in blocking, why is he still in there? Every time Johnson or Hawley are in as an extra lineman, that’s taking out guys like Harry Douglas, Jacquizz Rodgers, Jason Snelling, or even Kevin Cone and Drew Davis. Very, very puzzling and strange.
Julio Back in the Groove
Another game, another big drop early in the game. The Falcons had a huge play drawn up where Ryan hit Julio Jones on a nice deep ball right at the end zone only to see him drop another big one. Fans were starting to get anxious after seeing Jones struggle the last few games, mainly with drops. Could so much talent not explode as everyone thought? The good news is that Ryan and Koetter kept feeding Jones the ball and he looked like the stud we’ve all come to know in the very short time he’s been in red and black. He helped the offense drive down the field with excellent routes, good catches, and his signature extra effort to get more yards. He capped it off with a dazzling touchdown catch where he adjusted to a sidline pass, snagged it, and kept his feet in for the score. Great to have you back JJ!
Issues at MLB
Akeem Dent is struggling mightily at middle linebacker. There’s really no other way to spin it. He looked lost, had weak instincts, overran plays, missed tackles, and was blocked with ease. Even though some are bringing up the B word already after many thought he was a big reach for the 3rd round, it may be a little premature for that. To be fair, Dent hasn’t had a ton of snaps since Nolan is a fan of the big nickel and he’s only a few games into his first starting year. Sean Weatherspoon didn’t look that great as a rookie himself. Dent also has undergone some serious changes the last 4 years, going from a 4-3 defense under Willie Martinez as a junior at UGA to the 3-4 as a senior under Todd Grantham back to a 4-3 under Brian Van Gorder and finally to a new scheme, more of a hybrid, under Mike Nolan. He is, after all, from a Mark Richt led Georgia team well-known for under-developing their players (see that Justin Houston is top 5 in sacks and Blair Walsh is on fire in Minnesota). Also, Dimitroff did sign Lofa Tatupu in a great low-risk, potentially high-reward move before he was injured.
However, defending Dent can only go so far and he can only get so much time to improve. At what point will Mike Peterson get brought back in or Kroy Biermann get a permanent move to LB (a very popular idea here in the Cage). This much is a lock: linebacker moves to the top of the 2013 draft board.
These Falcons Have Some Mettle
Can an OL play QB Next? (Evan Vucci)
On one hand, the Falcons have had two performances that are easy to forget, playing an opponent that is decent-to-good, but surely not great or elite. However, the Falcons have proven the last two weeks that they can find ways to win even if they’re not playing their best. At some point, this will start being an issue instead of a strength, but for now, they’ve won two games in a row down at various points in the game.
What’s Up with the Drops?
The drops are starting to add up and it’s not that big of deal just yet, but something to be looking out for moving forward. Julio dropped a potential long touchdown catch, Quizz dropped an easy screen/dump-off, and then there was Joe Hawley dropping two catches….oh wait, he’s a center running passing routes like a receiver, but surely that can’t be right? In all seriousness, the Falcons need to start locking up the easy catches when they get a chance and eliminate as many drops as possible.
Defense Had RG3 Hemmed Up Anyway
Even though it wasn’t as much as expected, there are surely some who think that the game may have been different if RG3 hadn’t got injured and left the game, but just like forcing Peyton Manning into his interceptions, the Falcons defense brought the wood to him when he pulled the ball down and started to run. Also, the Birds did an excellent job keeping him hemmed up even before the injury. The Falcons defense held him to 91yards passing and only 7 yards rushing in the 3rd quarter. Overall, the Falcons defense pretty much shut down the rookie QB.
5-0 Feels So Good
Mike Smith, Thomas Dimitroff, and Arthur Blank just keep on knocking down those walls. The newest one is getting to 5-0 for the first time in franchise history, which doesn’t mean too awful much to being so early in the season, but it’s been a great start to the campaign and bodes well for the Falcons and their fans going forward.
Your Turn
1) Opening Kickoff: what’s your overall thoughts on the Falcons win?
2) How concerned over rush defense?
3) Do you think Gonzalez is rethinking his retirement after all?
4) What object were readying to throw after the Hawley passes?
5) Please explain the “Extra OL as 3rd TE” mess, if you can.
6) Is Julio back after a few missteps in games?
7) What’s your thoughts on Akeem Dent, MLB overall?
8.) Are the comeback wins a sign of mettle or slowing down?
9) Are the drops starting to worry you?
10) What do you like about your 5-0 Falcons?
11) What worries you most about your 5-0 Falcons?
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827 comments Add your comment
JJ
October 9th, 2012
9:05 pm
Reality BITES only if your satisfied with your past. Your like NO and Bressus, thk the lord you won one.
Im going for the repeat MR. MATH teacher…j/k buddy!
JB FALCON
October 9th, 2012
9:25 pm
Sometimes I get more out of the cage by just reading. I’ve read everything from drafting Tommy Nobis to the next game that we haven’t even played. If this ain’t what the NFL is all about I don’t know what is.
We have the best combination of different opinions, leaving nothing left to scrutinize, that ESPN could ever put together.
I’m a little concerned about the absence of Big Ray, hope he’s still doing well. D3, you have his e-m address so maybe you could find something out? Also, SW, hasn’t been around but he’s probably busy with the weather.
You can’t pick your relatives but you can pick your friends and you guys are a great place to hang out.
Now, We are 5-0 for the first time in the history of the Atlanta Falcons and let’s keep this ball rolling (if that what it takes. “Matt Ryan rolls it over to the Burner but it didn’t touch the ground!”)
The Raiders are our next victim so let’s do our research and come up with some predictions. My first reaction is WIN but I haven’t looked into what they will bring. It don’t really matter because to be the best you have to beat the best, so? Who’s next?
Ken Strickland
October 9th, 2012
9:28 pm
Has anyone noticed how little we’ve used the the NO HUDDLE, especially after the 1st gm? With Koetter’s excellent play calling, there has been little need to switch to it in order to jump start the OFF. Our average PPG isn’t that much higher than last yrs 25.2PPG. However, the difference in our record and the way we’ve played can be attributed to our very much improved pass DEF and pass rush.
We’ve had players capable of making plays for the last 2-3yrs, but our DEF scheme, approach, and system seldom put them in position to make many plays. TDeCoud 4 INTs in just 5gms equals last yrs total.
Matty Bicep
October 9th, 2012
9:32 pm
Coop, we gotta wear it, it is not fair, we are a victim our own success actually. Funny though, because Tony Dungy of all people know what it is like to wear a label….but it will just make it all that more sweet….
Ken Strickland
October 9th, 2012
9:49 pm
JB FALCON-I am sooo glad you brought up the absence of BIG RAY AND SEMINOLE WARRIOR, because I’ve missed them as well. I rely heavily on these blogs and you CAGERS to get me through the day. I’m dealing with family situations that are very stressful and at the same time disappointing. How do you deal with 2 extremely stubborn, and suddenly very vindictive, parents in their 80s? Both need around the clock care, yet both are battling each other for control based on issues that took place yrs ago.
I’m caught in the middle of 2 elderly parents, both of whom want to control everything, even though they can barely control their own bowels. Can you imagine an 85yr old mother, who’s still recovering from a recent stroke, and a stepfather with advanced Parkinson’s disease, thinking they’re competent enough to run the show indepently? Anything that I say, that doesn’t adhere to what they want, is met with I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT.
I’ve gotten to the point where I am sick and tired of hearing my name called every few mins, really. Anyway, back to football and our beloved Falcons.
D3
October 9th, 2012
10:04 pm
Was in bed, but saw this and had to put it up………..
Since the 2008 season, the Falcons are tied with Baltimore for the second-best record in the league at 48-21. Only New England (51-18) has been better.
Smith’s career winning percentage through 69 games (.696) is tied for 10th all-time with Harbaugh and Joe Gibbs, according to STATS Inc.
The nine coaches ahead of Smith are George Halas, Paul Brown, George Seifert, Chuck Knox, Vince Lombardi, Don Shula, George Allen, John Madden, Blanton Collier and Potsy Clark.
Just d@mn………….that’s impressive.
D3
October 9th, 2012
10:08 pm
Ken — Best wishes and thoughts my friend. You are in my thoughts buddy. Got a similar situation with a member of my family as well, so I know the struggle you’re going through.
falcon21
October 9th, 2012
10:10 pm
Ken, I do feel for you. You are a good man and I respect the hell out of you. I hope things get better for you, your mother and stepfather.
falcon21
October 9th, 2012
10:19 pm
Getting late Cagers but we better be ready for Oakland, they did beat Pittsburgh! Later.
Matty Bicep
October 9th, 2012
10:42 pm
Not only does Smitty have the WP, he did it with a rooking QB and a team that was 4-12….Again, sometimes I think he is a victim of his own success. In other words, he got too good too soon, but just did not quite have the post season success to match his regular season success, YET. That is why I always defend MM and BVG, they gave it their all, but it was not like they were miserable failures, you don’t get mentioned with George Halas etc in ANY catagory without deserving some respect.
But before everyone goes blows up, I know it was time for them to go, they knew it too. That’s why they went and found new jobs, but no reason to hate. It is not like they were Mouse Davis.
snacktastic
October 9th, 2012
10:46 pm
@Ken: I hope you can get things worked out with your family. Hang in there.
@D3: Just more proof that this organization has been built to be successful in the long run.
@falcon21: It’s been said that you don’t know which Raiders team you’re going to get in a given week, but when I see one win versus Pittsburgh and three losses, two being against teams we outclassed, I think “fluke”. After a pair of ugly wins, the Birds will take care of business and grab that AFC West crown.
Matty Bicep
October 9th, 2012
10:47 pm
I remember when Ryan got his first action in the pre-season and looked good working the ball down the field…I told my friend taht we might not be as bad as we think this year. He said, no way, we have not O line…Yet we got to the playoffs. So what does Smitty get credit for in on, losing in the playoffs.
Matty Bicep
October 9th, 2012
10:48 pm
above post talking about 08 season when Ryan and CS were rookies.
Ken Strickland
October 9th, 2012
11:31 pm
Thanks everyone. You can see why I’m so happy that our Falcons are undefeated. I don’t know what I’d do if we were going through what the AINTS/TAINTS are going through. The last 2 gms are the type of gms a team with Superbowl asperations like us has to learn how to win.
Less than elite teams like the Redskins and Panthers can be just as tough, aggressive and intense as any elite team. They simply have difficulty maintaining that aggressiveness, intensity and toughness for an entire gm. Stopping our rushing attack while defending our passing attack took a major toll on their DEF by the 4th quarter. We actually saw the same thing happen to the Panthers.
We’ve had people bash Smitty, me included, as well as TD and MRyan. We actually have people that are dumb enough to call them failures because we haven’t won a playoff gm after 3 trips to the playoffs in 4yrs.
Wabe
October 9th, 2012
11:34 pm
MB,
I’ll buy what you’re selling in your 10:42 post. I do think Smitty’s a good coach.
It does suck for him and all of us that the Falcons are 0-3 in the playoffs during his tenure, but, I think what makes things worse is the way that we’ve been getting bounced from the playoffs. In the past 2 seasons, we haven’t even played like a team that deserved to be in the playoffs. We’ve suffered our worst losses of the season at a time where we need to be playing our best ball. I think that is why Smitty has gotten the heat he has gotten.
Say what you will, but it’s justified to a degree. You can’t get stomped in back to back years in the playoffs, playing your worst football game of the season in both cases, when all the chips are on the table. You can scream execution all you want, because that’s also needed. But, it’s the coaches job to get these guys prepared. I think Smitty’s conservative ‘play not to lose’ style has proven to cost us in the playoffs when everybody’s coming at you, not playing hoping you make the first mistake.
I think coaches in general, like Smitty, deserve longer leashes. If they’ve proven they’re capable and consistent winners in the regular season, I think they’ll learn a lot about their weaknesses and shortcomings over the years and eventually push through. That’s one reason why I think organization’s like PITT can win consistently. They stick with their guy, making tweaks along the way, and have proven to be a model of consistency, something I think we’re building here.
Falcons Chic
October 10th, 2012
4:36 am
To Ken — Thinking about you all the way over here in China.
To Cagers — I also want to pose a question. What the 7734 was Kerrigan doing in our backfield anyway? My view of MR2’s helmet/peripheral vision seemed to me he didn’t see him pass the OL in a blaze of glory until just as he released the ball.
Big Lou
October 10th, 2012
8:50 am
Falcons Chic
It was a play action screen to Harry Douglas. What was suppose to happen is that the offensive lineman or RB should have chipped Kerrigan to slow him a down a bit, then let him go. It seems that they never touched him, which surprised Ryan when he turned to throw. Ryan has the tendency, like most QBs, to sometimes turn into a robot of the offense and just throw the route on the play, instead of looking first. I feel that is the only reason why he has 3 INT this year is that he gets too anxious and throws with tunnel vision.
Big Lou
October 10th, 2012
8:57 am
Quote from Pat Y. on one of his articles:
“The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints have one thing in common.
They lead the NFL in dropped passes, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Falcons and Saints each have 15 drops.
That hasn’t been a problem for the Buccaneers and Panthers, who each have six drops.
Let’s take a little closer look at what’s going wrong for the Falcons and Saints in this department.
Atlanta’s Julio Jones is second in the league with five drops, only one behind Dallas’ Jason Witten. Jones easily has been the biggest culprit for the Falcons. Tony Gonzalez and Michael Turner each have two drops. Roddy White, who led the league with 15 drops last season, has only one. Same for Harry Douglas, Jacquizz Rodgers and Lousaka Polite.”
Execution, execution, execution! Catch the dang ball! I am still ticked off about the one Julio dropped when it hit his chest in the first series.
Ken Strickland
October 10th, 2012
9:14 am
FALCONS CHIC-Thanks for the China support. I’d give anything to be in China, although my reasons likely wouldn’t go over well with the Chinese. I’d want to visit the the remote mountains of Southern China to see the decendants of China’s original inhabitants, who established the 1st 2 dynasties in China, the Xia and Shang. They were called NAKHI, and they originated in West Africa.
They built the worlds largest pyramid(1000ft tall) in China, which was earthen.They were discovered by the outside world in 1923 when a US state dept official discovered their existence. At the time there were over a quarter of a million of them, with their culture and language still intact. They have been traced directly to West Africa, as well as South America and Olmec civilization, which is the 1st recorded high culture in America.
I know all of this because I’ve been studying Ancient African history for 30 yrs. I would deeply appreciate any info you can give me on the matter.
You guys don’t know it, but just getting my personal issues out in the open, and know that I’m not the only one among us with simular issues was uplifting. I really feel so much better. It’s like a weight has been taken off my shoulders, at least for now anyway. But every little bit helps. Thanks again CAGERS.
I’ve been seriously contemplating a complete life change after I get these family issues resolved. I’m thinking about selling everything and buying a 5th wheel RV, a pickup truck, and taking my time while seeing the US. Can anyone give me any info on what that’s like? I’ve become intoxicated over the idea of living and traveling anywhere I want, staying as long as I want, and leaving whenever I want.
I wish I could find a road partner, besides my little Dobe Man of course, but I’ll go it alone if I have to. Of course, as soon as I start talking trash about my Falcons, I’ll probably get run out of town sooner than I’d like, but what else can I do, WE BAD!
Coop
October 10th, 2012
10:33 am
KS – Hang tough friend! Families are often difficult, but only becuase we know those folks will take the most from us. However, they also give the most to us. My parents lost their jobs, then my in-laws lost their jobs. I put my folks in a house I have in Monroe and gave up the rent I was getting. Then I moved my in-laws from California and they’re living in my house with my wife and our 3 kids. My father-in-law asked how I could put up with some much turmoil. I just said, it’s my turn.
Don’t get me wrong, it sucks the life out of me sometimes and I’m not sure how long I can balance the finances, etc. But in the end, how do we say no to those who gave so much to us growing up?
Hang in there and know you are not alone, you are not unappreciated, and this too shall pass.
Coop
October 10th, 2012
10:45 am
As for CMS, I agree that he has been an outstanding coach. I love Smitty and will always revere what he, TD, and MR2 did for this franchise after the Vick/Petrino debacle. I have often stated that he was brilliant in his approach. The Falcons were a team with a ton of holes, but he committed to playing mistake-free football. Cut down on penalties, run the ball, stop the run. That was exactly what this team needed in 2008. Fundamentally sound, SAFE, football.
I submit thatif Cleveland, Oakland, or any other crappy team subscribed to this methodology today, they would instantly become a contender to win 8 or 9 games. As much as I hate Smittyball, MB and BL are correct that it is very effective. At the point this franchise was in, that’s what they needed. Don’t get too high, just get consistent. We won some games we should have lost, lost some games we should have won, but basically, we were consistent.
My issue with Smittyball was that I felt (and feel) that CMS went too long with it. Why not? It was wildly successful other than the playoffs. However, I think that the team got inculcated with the belief that they couldn’t make a mistake or they’d lose. However, the players had gotten better (or we got better players) and they were developing to a point where it was time to move beyond Smittyball. You don’t abandon EVERY aspect. You still want to limit penalties and turnovers, but take the reigns off more and more and trust your players to make some plays. Don’t wait for 4th and 1 to be aggressive, be aggressive on 1st and 10.
I honestly believed that CMS was the eason we played conservative O and BBDB D. To me, the HC is responsible for everything the team does or fails to do. If it was MM and BVG, then CMS was culpable for not firing them or demanding they change. When those two left, I never once thought (still don’t) that it was Smitty’s decision. Either Arthur or TD forced him to make that change.
Perhaps Smitty figured it out on his own, or Arthur forced him to, but he is definitely coaching different this year. The one thing I never thought he culd do was change. So, I give him all the credit in the world for this 5-0 start and the change in the demeanor of this team. Others have said it, you just see a different team on the field this year. Smitty deserve HIGH PRAISE for this.
I am honestly glad that I was wrong in believing Smitty could change. I hope to see more of what we’ve seen the first 5 weeks from the HC.
Coop
October 10th, 2012
10:46 am
As for Oakland, there is ZERO excuse to lose this game. I don’t believe we will. I’d like to see a more comfortable win like we had against SD. I’ll take any win, but stressing over Carolina and Washington has me looking forward to a more boring 31-10 type win this Sunday. They’ll be plenty of stress in Philly, so let’s handle this one with ease please.
Hamad Meander
October 10th, 2012
11:04 am
If all we can be critical of is dropped passes, then I am happy. Why? What would be easier to fix than dropped passes? For there to be a dropped pass, the line had to block, the QB had to recognize the open receiver, he had to deliver the ball to the receiver, and then the receiver had to drop it. Three things went right and one thing went wrong. Easy to fix.
Coop
October 10th, 2012
11:17 am
Check out this link:
http://www.playoffstatus.com/nfl/nfcsosrg.html
Interesting statistics. Based on winning percentages to date, the Falcons have the easiest schedule remaining of any team in the NFC and 28th overall in the league. Of course the 1-3 Bucs, 1-4 Panthers, and 1-4 Saints (accounting for 5 of our remaining 11 games) really skews that. I don’t think any of beleive those 5 games will be cake walks.
Ken Strickland
October 10th, 2012
11:18 am
COOP-I complained because I had no shoes, until I met a man with no feet. THANKS A MILLION COOP!!!!
Coop
October 10th, 2012
11:23 am
KS – I hope it didn’t sound like I was trying to equate my position or in any way minimize yours. I just wanted to show some solidarity and express admiration that you are doing the right thing. I re-read my post and I’m not sure I conveyed that very well.
Big Lou
October 10th, 2012
1:04 pm
Coop
Love the MS posts, and I totally agree. It’s time to take more risks. I’m happy that MS is going in the right direction. They just need to be more effective in the run game by the playoffs.
I agree on the Raiders game, too. The only way the game will be close is if they shoot themselves in the foot. I have been pretty good on my personnel predictions so far, and I think the Burner will have a huge game.
JB Falcon
October 10th, 2012
1:58 pm
Says on ESPN that Brees sent the 48th touchdown ball up to the Pro Football HOF & informed them that he would send the one that ends the streak. The way I see it, that ending ball may be the same ball.
D3
October 10th, 2012
2:06 pm
JB — How awesome would it be if ended that @sshole’s streak? Just so hard because he passes the ball 50+ times a game and could care less how many INT’s he has.
JB Falcon
October 10th, 2012
2:16 pm
D3, coincidentally, Brees leads the league in INT’s.
JB Falcon
October 10th, 2012
2:17 pm
Oop! I wuz wrong. Reading the wrong chart.
Coop
October 10th, 2012
2:23 pm
D3 – I know I’m not alone, but can you remind us how many folks predicted 5-0 or 6-0 starts in our friendly competition? Also, do you win just by getting the final record right, or is it like the draft where you get more points if you predict exactly which games they win and lose?
Coop
October 10th, 2012
2:33 pm
I found my original prediction. I’ve done well in the W/L, but some of my analysis was off. Plus, going forward I don’t think I would predict Cardinals to be easy anymore.
1) Falcons @ Chiefs – Win: Agree with D3 that we are finally focused. This could be tough however. New coordinators means growing pains. Very interested to see how we hold up against the run without Lofton. Do we play Smittyball? Can we get to Cassel? If the answers are No and Yes, we win easy.
2) Falcons vs. Broncos – Win: Again, agree with D3. This is a win. Disagree that Manning will “get his”. I predict Peyton struggles early on this season. He didn’t look good during the preseason. Falcons win big.
3) Falcons @ Chargers – Win: The Falcons are absolutely the better team. Chargers are trending down. Normaly, teams traveling from East to West don’t fair well. But look at Smitty’s record… we do very well going West.
4) Falcons vs. Panthers – Win: I predict Cam has a sophomore slump. We play a solid game and MR2 shows he’s knocking on the elite door, not Mr. Fig Newton.
5) Falcons @ Redskins – Win: I like RG3, but the rest of that team STILL sucks. Falcons beat a better Redskins team in DC with Vick. They’ll blow this team out.
6) Falcons vs. Raiders – Win: This will be an very tight game just like D3 said. The issue here is looking ahead to the bye week and being a “surprise 5-0 team”.
7) Falcons @ Eagles – Win: Vick will be out for this game. Bank on it! I think Reid is a very good coach, but his light is starting to flicker. If I’m right above and Smitty has his team 6-0, it means he has learned how to use his talent. Falcons have more of it than the Eagles.
8.) Falcons vs. Cowboys – Win: If we lose this game, I may kill myself. I’d feel better if this game was in December when the Cowboys and Romo play like idiots, but the Boy’s are simply a retard organization like the Jets. Don’t lose to this embarassment.
9) Falcons @ Saints – Loss: I don’t think we go 8-0. So my prediction above is pretty crappy. It’s definitely what we can and should do, but I don’t believe in our HC. So I know I need to put some L’s on the board. Hear is the first one. Our rival plays with more heart and identity than we do. It makes me sick.
10) Falcons vs. Cardinals – Win: Easily.
11) Falcons @ Bucs – Loss: Smitty can’t get this team to recognize it’s potential. It shows again in Tampa.
12) Falcons vs. Saints – Loss: By now, the Cage is about to go off the cliff. after starting 8-0, we’ve lost 3 of the last 4.
13) Falcons @ Panthers – Win: Finally, someone at the branch grabs this team by the balls and injects some life into it! Falcons start epic run…
14) Falcons vs. Giants – Win: This will be an epic @sswhopping! The Birds will finally have their identity and will use this game to erase memories of the playoff losses and anounce their intentions for January!
15) Falcons @ Lions – Win: I see a lot of folks picking this as a loss. No way. Lions D is not improved and our D shuts down Megatron and knocks Stafford out of the game.
16) Falcons vs. Bucs – Win: Avenging an embarassing loss, Birds finish the season 13-3. Enter the playoffs with the #2 seed.
The schedule worries me more than anything not named Smitty. I have never seen a schedule without back-toback home games… That’s concerning.
Unca' Bob
October 10th, 2012
3:10 pm
Coop,
Thanx for posting your predictions. Now I don’t have to watch anymore games.LOL
Coop
October 10th, 2012
3:12 pm
No sweat UB. I have winning loto numbers to…
JB Falcon
October 10th, 2012
4:26 pm
Coop, good predictions but no exact scores?
Coop
October 10th, 2012
4:32 pm
JB – Good point… D@MN!
JB Falcon
October 10th, 2012
4:44 pm
So, RGIII gets a concussion and, according to NFL protocol, he is back practicing. Owens gets a concussion and, according to NFL protocol he’s out for two week? RG must have a hard head.
Birdman
October 10th, 2012
5:07 pm
Hello Cage
I hope all are well and Gods blessings are shining down.
Ken I am sorry for your problems, But nothing but God himself is stronger than the power of Prayer . And you have mine.
Great win for the Falcons .Why great? Because there 5 and 0.
J Jones drops. A little concern but I think he will work it out . If you guys remember the one thing he had problems with at Alabama . Was drops.But he was still very good .
The Birds coaching staff is far greater than before and they are the biggest part of this team winning the last 2 games. UNLIKE THE WAY IT USE TO BE !!
Ken Strickland
October 10th, 2012
5:14 pm
COOP-I understood what you meant perfectly. It was just a needed reminder that others have problems to deal with as well. And some of which are much greater than ours. I didn’t take what you said as anything but a much needed reminder of what could be, rather that what is. Again, thanks for the encouragement in inspiration, because that’s the way I took it.
Greg Mendel
October 10th, 2012
6:39 pm
Regarding playoffs…
Curious, I went to web page below. I found that from 1966 to 1977, the Falcons didn’t have a single playoff appearance.
From 1978 through 2004, they made the playoffs 8 times. Of those 8 times, they were “one and gone” 3 times. They got to the Super Bowl once, and lost.
From 1966 through 2007, they had 8 playoff appearances in 29 years, averaging an appearance every 3.625 years.
From 2008 — 2011, they were “one and gone” each time, but they made the playoffs 3 times in 4 years.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/atl/playoffs.htm
My math may be a little off, but to a Falcons fan since ‘66, the Smith Era shows a significant trend. If a team makes the playoffs every 1.3 years, the odds are on optimism.
(Yeah, I’m a homer.)
Coop
October 10th, 2012
6:50 pm
KS – Good. Keep doing what you’re doing. Your reward awaits.
Paddy O
October 10th, 2012
7:28 pm
Question: Talent wise; the current roster for the Falcons – who get credit for assembling? I’d say TD.
Getting the most out of that talent, who is responsible? Mike Smith. I also agree with others who stated that Mike Smith coaching emphasis – mistake free, penalty free football, was essential for the team he inherited in 2008.
However, from 2008 to 2011, I don’t think we added a ton of wrinkles to our team scheme; heck, on defense, we seemed to be going backwards. So, the question at that point after 2011 – was the talent lacking? Or was the scheme fundamentally (BVG, MM – SMITTY BALL; The Molasses Gang) flawed?
From our 5-0 start, I’d say the scheme of MM and BVG was fundamentally flawed – too many opponents dissecting your team for tendencies and predictability. And, our talent level was adequate to be a good, possibly close to, elite team.
Have we witnessed perfect execution? No. But, a reliance on the pass vs. the run allows the team, even when having an off game, to quickly correct and get back into the game, as shown recently.
Who is the MVP on offense from the TD era? MR2? Turner? Tony G? As shown, even when an opposing defense “shuts down” your two wide outs, with a TE like Tony G, you can still effectively move the ball. If we were to go all in and start utilizing our RB’s more effectively in the passing game, I think we could win even when they manage to cover RW84, JJ & Tony G. It is good to be a Falcons fan.
At this point, I think most folks should conclude that TD is a very good, perhaps excellent, talent evaluator/team assembler.
As Coop I think stated, the fact that Mike Smith has adjusted his own personal philosophy to better exploit the talents on this current edition of the Falcons indicates he may just BE THE MAN to get us to the promised land.
Final hurdle – when convincingly in the playoffs. Assuming of course, that the wheels don’t come off the rest of 2012. Imagine if Ewing had not gotten hurt (one aspect of our player development that really needs deliberation – we have a bad habit of getting our draftees hurt early).
Ken Strickland
October 10th, 2012
7:51 pm
I would just like to say that this CAGE is very special, and what has made it special are the special CAGERS, led by the very special D3. I’m just proud to be apart of all this. Before D3 took over, these Falcon blogs were very much like the Hawks blog are now.
Ken Strickland
October 10th, 2012
8:03 pm
I can usually figure out what’s causing a certain football problem if given enough time. But I just can’t figure out why our OL can master the more complicated and different art of pass blocking, and in just one off season, but fall way short on the more fundamental and easier run blocking. Unlike in the past, nobody is stacking the line of scrimmage and daring us to beat them with the pass.
We certainly can’t blame the RBs, especially MTurner, because none on our RBs have been very effective. Maybe Hill and Koetter spent the OFF season, OTAs, training camp, and preseason, trying to concentrate on improving our OLs pass blocking skills and technique at the expense of run blocking.
Unca' Bob
October 10th, 2012
8:21 pm
Ken Strickland,
It’s been my observation we have two people missing. One is Ovie and the other would be Musgrave. We struggle to run the football and how’s C Ponder doing?
JB FALCON
October 10th, 2012
9:35 pm
Ken, I read you post last night, shortly after mine, but did not know how to respond, so I didn’t. I’m glad Coop helped you to understand that more won’t be put on your shoulders that you cannot carry. If you feel burdened ask for help, and you will be helped by the Almighty, who works in mysterious ways. That has been done.
On the motorhome idea? I had the same idea before I sold my MH but it is very possible. There is a whole new type of world out there consisting of folks who make it work. Do the research and you will find that anywhere you go, in any park, you will likely find a Falcon fan. It can be done, if that’s what you want.
DHunt
October 10th, 2012
10:17 pm
I see The Cage is still cooking with hot sauce. D3’s most excellent post deserves a response before I get to all the analysis. Ergo…
1) How cool is it to be 5-0? Only thing better would be 6-0. The Redskins game was nowhere near as competitive as the score would indicate. We outplayed a team that has been playing pretty good football. Big Lou already pointed out that without 3 mistakes, we would have won that game 31-0.
2) Actually can’t say that I’m “concerned” at all about the defense. A pretty good running back found some creases, and some decent defenders missed a couple of tackles. But what stood out to me most about the rush defense, was how it got better at the end of the game. From mid 3rd quarter to the end, we shut the Skins run game down. Most people expect the offense to get stronger in the run as the game goes on, but we stepped it up. Also worth mentioning was the pursuit of both Babs and Jerry from the inside DL to make plays in the run game. That kind of effort will continue to pay dividends.
3) I can’t see how Gonzo could have a career year and then just call it quits. I do wonder what it would take to make him stay? Would winning a super bowl make him stay or make him go? Would not winning a playoff game after having a monster season give him more incentive to come back or give it up? I want him to play for the Falcons until he can’t catch 60+ passes a year.
4) Only a soft shoe was ever in danger of flying towards the flat screen. And that only on the 2nd attempt to throw to him. The first time he just leaked out because there was no one for him to block. The second was designed. Neither had any chance of doing much. More to come on this one.
5) It’s been said that going big with Turner in the backfield could have a tendency to bring the safeties up. You can still get two receivers, possibly even three into pass patterns from this set, so it’s not a bad look as a chess move. If it’s because that’s the only way Koetter feels he can protect Ryan or spring Turner, then it’s a problem. Since I don’t believe that latter scenario for a minute, it’s really not a problem.
6) Was Julio ever gone? He suffered a bad hand injury. His HAND, people. So yeah, he’s had a few drops. But he’s made some great catches as well. Two of his “drops” would have been spectacular catches. The numbers don’t tell the whole story here. Suffice it to say that Julio is a top 10 receiver in a pass happy league. Name three guys you would rather have… I’ll wait….
7) Haven’t seen enough of Dent to tell anything. Saw him overrun a play last week. Could have just been a great cutback by the RB. Saw a lot of Falcons defenders not getting off blocks last week, so maybe it’s a coaching thing. Simply put, it’s too early to call. MLB ( and LB in general) is a spot we are really thin at this year. The Bierman experiment and next year’s draft are likely to be when this gets addressed.
8.) Every win in the NFL is huge. Every close win is usually a sign that the winning team stayed in it until the end, and persevered through some adversity. It’s a 16 game season against teams that all have a very close level of talent. It’s brutal and guys play hurt all the time. Anyone who discounts any opponent, or any win, is deluded. If the ball bounces your way, you still have to be there and make the play.
9) Take Julio’s drops out of it, and you have basically one per player (and the one Quizz is credited with from last week was way high). Tony G dropped a couple. yeah… like I’m worried about Tony G. HD may be a little rusty. Drops only hurt when you don’t have the firepower to recover from them. So here again, nothing to see folks… move along… move along…
10) The simple fact that they are 5-0 Falcons isn’t enough? OK, well in that case, I like the defense. Other than Peyton Manning going all out in comeback mode, this defense has been downright stingy. And they have been very consistent. Mike Nolan has been the biggest difference thus far this year. He has the defense playing at a high level, and nothing short of catastrophic injuries will change that, and maybe not even that.
11) Why worry at all about a 5-0 Falcons team? It’s not like they are winning like Philly, with smoke, mirrors, and prayers. I can’t say I’m worried at all, because I see a team that is constantly working to get better, and they are pretty damn good already.
DHunt
October 10th, 2012
10:22 pm
To any of the Cage family who find yourself going through rough times, I can tell you what my Grandmother taught me. You have to go through something to get to something. And when you are in the midst of the most trying times, just know, this too will pass.
Coop
October 10th, 2012
11:03 pm
DHunt – Amen. The Lord carries us through the valleys so we can truly appreciate the mountain tops. Have no doubt, if you walk with Him, you are heading to the mountain tops.